4 worthy candidates for Canucks' unsung hero award this year
Could Vancouver Canucks fans themselves be a nominee for this one?
In this dismal Canucks season, fans have still shown up at Rogers Arena, largely supporting a team that has lost a historic number of games on home ice.
Something to consider, but I digress.
The Canucks have opened up voting for their team awards, and one of the most intriguing ones is always the winner of the Fred J. Hume award as unsung hero.
An unsung hero is defined as someone who is “not noticed or praised for hard work.”
Jannik Hansen is the unofficial embodiment of the award, winning it three times during his Canucks career. Kiefer Sherwood, Dakota Joshua (twice), Luke Schenn and Tyler Motte have taken home the award most recently in club history.
Here are four Canucks players who deserve some more love and recognition for the Fred J. Hume award.
1. Drew O’Connor
There aren’t many players having career years on this moribund Canucks team, but Drew O’Connor is one of them.
Although he’s best suited to a bottom-six role on a good hockey team, O’Connor has proven throughout the season that he’s one of the four best wingers on the Canucks.
He’s set a new career-high this season with 17 goals, which is tied for third on the Canucks. His 15 even-strength goals are also tied for first on the team alongside Brock Boeser.
O’Connor has provided good value on his $2.5 million salary cap hit.
2. Linus Karlsson
There arguably isn’t anyone on this Canucks roster who’s exceeded expectations as much as Linus Karlsson.
After sitting as a healthy scratch for the first handful of games this season, Karlsson has cemented himself as a lineup mainstay with a mix of underrated puck skill and a heaviness along the boards.
Linus Karlsson touches the puck in all 3 zones and converts his 1st goal in 10 games and 11th of the year pic.twitter.com/zf7P4Rpusk
— Bik Nizzar (@BikNizzar) January 24, 2026
He has a chance of finishing the season as the Canucks leading point-getter at five-on-five. His 26 points during regular game action rank first on the club, two points ahead of O’Connor.
3. Max Sasson
On a relatively slow Canucks team, the speedy Max Sasson has stood out when he’s been in the lineup.
And for someone who’s averaged just 11:42 per game this season, it’s impressive to see that Sasson has scored 12 goals this season, which ranks eighth on the Canucks. His 12 even-strength goals are also third on the team behind Boeser and O’Connor.
Didn't take long for Max Sasson to find the back of the net! šØ pic.twitter.com/fzocW7CHb9
— NHL (@NHL) November 15, 2025
4. Teddy Blueger
The Canucks missed Teddy Blueger this season, probably more than a team should miss a bottom-six centre.
Blueger missed 47 games this season due to injury, including a 44-game absence from mid-October to mid-January.
When he’s been in the lineup, Blueger has provided a secondary scoring punch, along with his usual sturdy defensive play. He has eight goals and 14 points in 28 games this season, good for a 16-goal, 41-point pace. The Latvian centre also has three shorthanded goals, which is tied for seventh in the NHL.
Off the ice, he’s also sounded like a leader during his media availabilities. If the Canucks were to name a captain next season, he’d be worthy of consideration.